All of us live our lives with some narrative as a backdrop that gives meaning to our individual events. The resurrection is the ultimate narrative, which will not fail those of faith in the end. His death and resurrection have effectively “arrested” death. Its reign has been broken, but it is still around until Christ returns. As verse 26 says, “the last enemy to be defeated is death.” We’re living in an overlap of the ages, much like the time between D-day and V-day in WWII.

The resurrection of Jesus means everything.

Some in Corinth were claiming there is no resurrection. The Apostle Paul gives a full list of negative implications if that were true. In verse 19 he says we are of all people most to be pitied for believing a lie, if the resurrection didn’t happen. But it did!

Beginning in verse 20, Paul gives a list of positive consequences. Jesus is a kind of “first fruits,” meaning that his amazing resurrection body gives us an indication of what ours will be like when he returns. Jesus has reversed the ruin Adam’s sin caused for all people. Those who have died in Christ will receive resurrection bodies in the future. Jesus will put everything in subjection under God.   

Taking It Home: Here are two equal and opposite application points. First, Paul seems to indicate at the end of this chapter that we will mock death when we put on a future immortal body (v. 55). So don’t fear death or be anxious about anything. Victory is secure. Second, “your labor is not in vain” (v. 58). This life, including our bodies, really matters to God. Jesus took a human body to prove this, so use yours for his purposes.